Mark

By Joyce Webb 2023

Chapter 9     Verses 1-13

Verse 1 Jesus said to them—- Some standing here—-shall not die—until they have seen the Kingdom of God come with power.

( Bible teachers do not agree what this verse means. Some think it goes with the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain the happens next in a few days.

I find the verse hard to understand.

When we read the words “see the kingdom of God come with power”——we think of Jesus’ second coming—-when He comes to be King over all the world.

No one standing there would live thousands of years to see that happen.

I guess we will have to say—that we really do not know what Jesus meant here. What did he mean— when he said “the kingdom of God coming in power?)

Verse 2 After 6 days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into a high mountain——just the 4 of them.

While they were up there—Jesus’ looks changed.

Verse 3 His clothing became bright shining white! White as snow.

Verse 4 Two other men appeared with Jesus. These 2 other men had died long ago—-Moses and Elijah—-but now they were here with Jesus—talking to him.

Verse 5. The 3 disciples must have been amazed watching it.

Then Peter said to Jesus—Master, It is good for us to be here. Let us make 3 tents—one for each of you.

Peter was afraid. He thought he should say something.

Verse 7 Then a cloud came and made a shadow over them.
A Voice came out of the cloud—it said—”This is my beloved Son; hear him.” This was God’s voice.

Verse 8 Suddenly, the 2 men disappeared and were not there any more. Just Jesus was there.

Verse 9 They came down the mountain, and Jesus said to them that they should not tell any one what they had seen—-not until the Son of Man has risen up from the dead.

(Remember—the disciples have heard Jesus say that he would die and rise—come alive again—but they just could not understand how that would happen— and they could not believe it.)

Verse 10 The disciples thought about what Jesus said. They asked each other—what does he mean that he should rise up from the dead?

Verse 11 They asked Jesus, Why do the church leaders say that Elijah must first come?

Verse 12 Jesus said, Elijah comes first and he will restore all things.
Elijah will preach and teach things the way of truth—the way the scriptures truly taught.

John the Baptist came and lived in the wilderness and wore clothing of camel hair. He preached the scriptures in a way the Jewish people had not heard.

The Jewish people were used to the church leaders talking about all the rules and laws—many of them were rules men had made—not God’s rules.

John said someone was coming soon—-the Lamb of God—who would take away the sin of the world.

John preached that they should repent of their sin.

The Jewish people had never heard preaching like that.

John the Baptist was very much like Elijah—preaching to people–getting them ready for Jesus when Jesus began his ministry.

Verse 12 Jesus said “It is written (in scripture–Old Testament) that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be set at nought.” (meaning–to be thought of as not important, hated).

Verse 13 Jesus said, “But I say to you, Elijah has come.
They have done to him what they wanted—just like the scriptures said would happen.”

(Elijah was hunted by Queen Jezebel, wife of King Ahab. I Kings 19:1-2. Elijah escaped from her and was not killed. But Elijah was a hunted man.)

(John the Baptist was put in prison and then King Herod’s wife asked for John’s head to be cut off.)